Safety Daily Advisor

06/20/2012

It's the first day of summer! EPA's 15 hot tips

EPA has released its 15 "Hot Tips for a Cool Summer" to save money, water, and energy while protecting health and the environment. Here is a quick recap:

1. Cool down your house or office. Swap out old bulbs for Energy Star®-qualified lighting, which use less energy and produce 75 percent less heat. Also, raise your thermostat by 2 degrees, and use your ceiling fan to reduce cooling costs by 14 percent.

2. Drive efficiently. Obey the speed limit, ease up on the brakes, avoid hard accelerations, and reduce idling time to increase gas mileage.

8. Conserve water. Water used outdoors is often wasted through evaporation, so water lawns and gardens in the morning when winds are calm and temperatures are cool.

9. Practice outdoor green cleaning. The summer is a great time to wash cars, decks, and boats. But cleaning runoff and washwater can end up in storm drains, resulting in the contamination of waterways. Use environment-friendly cleaning products.

10. Breathe clean air. Because people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, indoor air quality is a major concern: mold, radon, and carbon monoxide are the biggies. Be sure to test your home and office to ensure that they are not present.

11. Travel green. Look for Energy Star-certified hotels, which use, on average, 35 percent less energy and emit an average of 35 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than their peers.

12. Cut down on waste and recycle. True in every season!

13. Season firewood. Summer is a great time to prep for cozy fall and winter fires.

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It's the first day of summer! EPA's 15 hot tips

EPA has released its 15 "Hot Tips for a Cool Summer" to save money, water, and energy while protecting health and the environment. Here is a quick recap:

1. Cool down your house or office. Swap out old bulbs for Energy Star®-qualified lighting, which use less energy and produce 75 percent less heat. Also, raise your thermostat by 2 degrees, and use your ceiling fan to reduce cooling costs by 14 percent.

2. Drive efficiently. Obey the speed limit, ease up on the brakes, avoid hard accelerations, and reduce idling time to increase gas mileage.

8. Conserve water. Water used outdoors is often wasted through evaporation, so water lawns and gardens in the morning when winds are calm and temperatures are cool.

9. Practice outdoor green cleaning. The summer is a great time to wash cars, decks, and boats. But cleaning runoff and washwater can end up in storm drains, resulting in the contamination of waterways. Use environment-friendly cleaning products.

10. Breathe clean air. Because people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, indoor air quality is a major concern: mold, radon, and carbon monoxide are the biggies. Be sure to test your home and office to ensure that they are not present.

11. Travel green. Look for Energy Star-certified hotels, which use, on average, 35 percent less energy and emit an average of 35 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than their peers.

12. Cut down on waste and recycle. True in every season!

13. Season firewood. Summer is a great time to prep for cozy fall and winter fires.